Ruffled fan palm

Sun

Partial shade or bright filtered light; protect from strong midday sun, especially when young or grown indoors.

Water

Keep evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water when the surface begins to dry, allowing container drainage to run freely.

Soil

Humus-rich, moisture-retentive but well-drained soil, preferably slightly acidic; use a free-draining palm potting mix in containers.

Height

6-10 ft (1.8-3 m), occasionally taller in tropical conditions; usually smaller indoors

Spread

5-8 ft (1.5-2.4 m)

Foliage

Evergreen. Glossy green, nearly circular fan leaves with strong pleats and a shallowly toothed edge; leaf stalks carry sharp spines.

Growth

Slow

Care needed

Medium

• Heat tolerant

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Hard

Toughness

Needs looking after

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   7 ft (2 m)

2. After 1 year

   7 ft (2 m)

3. After 2 years

   7 ft (2 m)

4. After 3 years

   7 ft (2 m)

5. After 5 years

   7 ft (2.1 m)

About 32 years to full size.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Growth rate

Slow

• Shelter from drying winds, which split and scorch the large leaves.
• Water thoroughly when the soil surface starts to dry; never leave the pot standing in water.
• Feed during active growth with a palm fertiliser containing magnesium and trace elements, following the label rate.
• Mulch outdoor plants to conserve moisture, keeping mulch clear of the trunk.
• Move container plants into warmth before autumn nights fall below 50°F (10°C).
• Repot in spring only when roots crowd the container, disturbing the root ball as little as possible.

Pruning. Remove fully brown fronds close to the trunk as needed, using gloves to avoid the spiny leaf stalks. Leave green or partly green fronds in place and never cut the central growing spear.

Spring

Check drainage and repot root-bound container plants into a slightly larger pot.

Spring

Begin feeding when steady new growth starts.

Early summer

Move indoor plants outside only once nights stay above 50°F (10°C), gradually introducing them to sheltered shade.

Summer

Check moisture frequently and inspect leaf undersides for mites and scale.

Autumn

Bring pots under warm cover before cold nights and reduce feeding as growth slows.

Winter

Provide bright indirect light, keep away from cold glass and heating vents, and water less often without letting the root ball dry out.

• Use as a single foliage specimen in a sheltered tropical courtyard.
• Grow in a large container beside a shaded patio, leaving clearance from paths for the spiny leaf stalks.
• Combine with ferns and broad-leaved shade plants for contrasting leaf shapes.
• Use beneath a high, open tree canopy where filtered light reaches its pleated leaves.

Garden styles it suits: Modern tropical, Tropical, Architectural minimal, Modern courtyard, Luxury resort and Balinese.

Plant it with: Bird's nest fern, Bromeliads, Peace lily, Calathea and Cast iron plant.

Wildlife: Flowers and ripe fruits can provide food for insects and fruit-eating birds in tropical gardens, although container plants seldom flower or fruit.

• Spider mites cause pale stippling and fine webbing, especially indoors: rinse leaf undersides and treat persistent infestations with insecticidal soap according to the label.
• Scale insects form bumps on stalks and leaves: wipe off small infestations and use a labelled horticultural oil if needed.
• Root rot causes yellowing and decline in soggy soil: improve drainage, empty saucers and allow the surface to begin drying between waterings.
• Brown or torn leaves often follow strong sun, wind, cold or drying out: move to sheltered filtered light and maintain even moisture; damaged tissue will not recover.

Not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses, though species-specific toxicity information is limited. The sharp spines on the leaf stalks can puncture skin; keep them away from children, pets and busy paths.

• Mangrove fan palm (Licuala spinosa)

  Forms a clump of stems and has fans divided into separate wedge-shaped segments, rather than the mostly undivided circular leaves of ruffled fan palm.

• Chinese fan palm (Livistona chinensis)

  Has deeply divided fans with long, drooping segment tips and eventually becomes a much larger tree.

The species name grandis means large, while ruffled fan palm describes the broad, strongly pleated leaves.

Propagation. Grow from fresh seed in a warm, consistently moist, free-draining medium. Germination can take several months and is uneven; this single-stemmed palm cannot be divided.

Accepted botanical name

Licuala grandis

Native range

Santa Cruz Is. and Vanuatu.

Measured

Average height 250 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0) and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.